Benefit cuts worse than the loss of mental health beds

Published: 3 December, 2010

• SEVERAL recent letters have criticised iBUG’s lack of response to the proposed bed reduction scenarios at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (Has no one the courage to oppose these health cuts? November 5). 

The reduction in bed numbers is not a straightforward cut in services. In fact, the final consultation document on it has not yet been published. 

The letters to the Tribune are correct in saying that the trust does want to reduce the number of inpatient beds. However, not all the money saved in this way will be taken away from services; some will help to provide alternative services in the community that help stop admissions in the first place. Some will help out trust finances and some will go back to the respective primary care trusts (PCTs) to improve their finances. This is the situation we now face. 

We do not want to be apologists for the trust or the local PCTs, but savings have got to be found this year and next by both the PCTs and the trust. What concerns iBUG more is to campaign to fight cuts in housing benefits and incapacity benefit as these will have a much greater effect on mental health service users/survivors than the reduction in inpatient bed numbers will.

Regarding bed provision in general, iBUG’s view is complex. Unfortunately, it is a fact that most acute beds are occupied by service users who have been forced into them against their will. They may agree to stay once they have been ‘sectioned’ into a bed but the decision to go to hospital has not been a voluntary one in the first place. 

iBUG therefore spends a considerable amount of time with service users, advising them and referring them to advocacy for help to get out of hospital. We have recently written an article in our own magazine about how we would welcome the closure of more acute beds and the opening of more crisis houses in the community, similar to the Women’s Unit at Drayton Park and The Haven at Highbury Grove.

All this being said, we will monitor the bed situation very carefully and are committed to ensuring every mentally unwell person who requires a bed should be given one promptly.

PETER JONES, SUZY LEE, PHILIP FOX
iBUG directors  
SHIRLEY SCOTT-NORTON
Company secretary